Arrival at Bunchberry Nation

Xiomara Chavez, a Mexican Apache archaeologist, arrives in the remote Bunchberry Nation, Canada, with her loyal dog Anubis. She's greeted by Rosebud, a vibrant local, and quickly introduced to the close-knit community. The landscape is lush, the air thick with humidity, and the town is small but welcoming. Xiomara is both excited and anxious, carrying the weight of her past and the responsibility of a major archaeological project. The warmth of her hosts, especially Rosebud and her wife Kate, offers comfort, but the ache of homesickness and grief for her late fiancé Javier lingers. As she settles in, the promise of new beginnings is shadowed by the pain she carries, setting the stage for her journey of healing and discovery.

New Bonds, Old Wounds

Xiomara navigates her first days in Bunchberry, meeting key figures like Chief Thomas and the Yellowbird family. Meals and small-town rituals foster a sense of belonging, but reminders of her loss are everywhere. The community's openness is both a balm and a challenge, as Xiomara struggles to let people in. Her expertise is respected, yet she feels the pressure of representing her heritage and honoring the ancestors whose remains she'll excavate. The warmth of shared food and laughter is contrasted by moments of solitude, where memories of Javier surface. The chapter explores the tension between forging new relationships and honoring old wounds, as Xiomara begins to see the possibility of home in this unfamiliar place.

Spring Bash and First Encounters

The annual Spring Bash immerses Xiomara in Bunchberry's vibrant traditions—dancing, food, and community rituals. She's introduced to Calehan, the reserved yet magnetic architect overseeing the museum's construction. Their initial interactions are charged with curiosity and mutual respect, hinting at deeper attraction. The festival's joy is tinged with Xiomara's longing for connection and her fear of vulnerability. As she receives gifts and participates in ceremonies, she feels both honored and overwhelmed by the community's embrace. The chapter captures the exhilaration of new beginnings, the complexity of cultural exchange, and the first sparks of a relationship that will challenge and transform both Xiomara and Calehan.

Excavation Begins

The archaeological project launches, blending scientific rigor with spiritual reverence. Xiomara leads a diverse team, including local youth and her trusted colleague David. The work is meticulous and sacred—offerings are made, and elders guide the process. Early discoveries, like a pottery sherd with a fingerprint, electrify the team and deepen their sense of connection to the past. Calehan's role as both builder and cultural steward brings him closer to Xiomara, their partnership growing through shared purpose. The land itself becomes a character, holding secrets and demanding respect. As artifacts surface, so do Xiomara's emotions, her grief and hope intermingling with the soil she sifts.

Community, Family, and Belonging

Xiomara is drawn into the Yellowbird family's orbit, experiencing the joys and challenges of communal life. Meals, chores, and playful banter reveal the depth of their bonds and the weight of their responsibilities. Calehan's internal struggle—torn between duty to family and dreams of a career abroad—mirrors Xiomara's own conflict between past and future. The warmth of the family is healing, but also intimidating, as Xiomara fears both losing herself and being left behind. Through shared work and celebration, she begins to find a place among them, her sense of isolation slowly giving way to belonging.

The Architect and the Archaeologist

Xiomara and Calehan's professional collaboration deepens, their mutual admiration blossoming into attraction. They tour the unfinished museum, sharing visions for its design and purpose. Their conversations are laced with humor, vulnerability, and the unspoken tension of desire. Calehan's quiet strength and Xiomara's fierce intelligence draw them together, each recognizing in the other a kindred spirit. Yet, both are haunted by obligations—Calehan to his family and land, Xiomara to her grief and heritage. Their growing intimacy is a dance of approach and retreat, as they navigate the risks of opening their hearts.

Ceremony and Offerings

A pivotal ceremony marks the excavation's spiritual significance. Elders lead prayers, and offerings are made to the land and those who came before. Xiomara and Calehan share a private moment, making an offering together at the water's edge. The intimacy of the ritual blurs the line between professional partnership and personal connection. The community's reverence for tradition is palpable, and Xiomara feels the weight of her role as both scientist and cultural bridge. The ceremony is a turning point, deepening her ties to Bunchberry and to Calehan, as they both acknowledge the sacredness of their work and their growing bond.

Secrets in the Soil

The excavation yields remarkable finds—artifacts bearing mysterious symbols, evidence of ancient trade, and personal items that hint at the lives once lived on this land. Each discovery is a thread connecting past and present, and Xiomara is both exhilarated and humbled by the responsibility. The team's excitement is infectious, but the work also stirs deeper questions about identity, legacy, and the stories that objects can and cannot tell. As Xiomara pieces together the site's history, she also confronts her own narrative, grappling with what to reveal and what to keep buried.

Tangled Hearts

The simmering attraction between Xiomara and Calehan comes to a head, their professional partnership giving way to personal longing. Their connection is electric, but fraught with uncertainty—both are wary of the risks, haunted by past losses and future obligations. Confidences are shared with friends, who encourage them to seize happiness despite the complications. The chapter is charged with emotional and physical tension, as Xiomara and Calehan navigate the boundaries between work, community expectations, and their own desires. The possibility of love is both thrilling and terrifying, threatening to upend the careful balance they've maintained.

The Trail Ride and Rivalries

A multi-day trail ride to a new archaeological site brings underlying tensions to the surface. Chief Thomas's interest in Xiomara and his rivalry with Calehan create friction, while the physical challenges of the journey test everyone's endurance. The landscape is both beautiful and unforgiving, mirroring the emotional terrain the characters traverse. Xiomara and Calehan's relationship is tested by jealousy, miscommunication, and the ever-present demands of duty. The ride is a crucible, forging deeper bonds but also exposing fault lines that threaten to fracture what they've built together.

Love, Loss, and Letting Go

Xiomara is haunted by memories of Javier, her late fiancé, as her feelings for Calehan intensify. Dreams and rituals blur the boundaries between worlds, forcing her to reckon with grief and the possibility of new love. Confessions are made—about past losses, fears, and hopes. The community's support is both a comfort and a challenge, as Xiomara must decide whether to let herself be vulnerable again. The chapter is a meditation on mourning, resilience, and the courage required to open one's heart after devastation.

The Museum Takes Shape

The museum project accelerates, with Xiomara and Calehan working side by side to bring their shared vision to life. The process is both exhilarating and exhausting, as they balance logistics, community input, and the weight of history. The space becomes a symbol of healing and continuity, a place where past and present converge. As the opening approaches, tensions rise—between personal ambition and collective responsibility, between the desire for permanence and the inevitability of change. The museum is both a culmination and a beginning, embodying the dreams and struggles of everyone involved.

Confessions and Consequences

As the museum nears completion, secrets come to light—most devastatingly, Calehan's acceptance of a job in Spain. The revelation shatters the fragile trust between him and Xiomara, who feels betrayed by his omission. Their confrontation is raw and painful, each grappling with the consequences of choices made and words left unsaid. The community's expectations, personal dreams, and the specter of loss collide, forcing both to confront what they truly want and what they're willing to risk. The chapter is a crucible of emotion, where love is tested by honesty and the fear of abandonment.

Winter's Distance

Winter descends, mirroring the cold that settles between Xiomara and Calehan. Both retreat into themselves, nursing wounds and questioning their decisions. The community rallies around Xiomara, offering support but unable to fill the void left by love lost. Grief resurfaces, old patterns threaten to reassert themselves, and the future feels uncertain. Yet, in the quiet of solitude, both begin to heal—reflecting on what they've learned, what they regret, and what they still hope for. The chapter is a meditation on endurance, the slow thaw of pain, and the possibility of renewal.

Healing and Homecoming

As spring approaches, Xiomara and Calehan tentatively reconnect, aided by the wisdom and compassion of their families. Conversations with elders, friends, and each other pave the way for understanding and forgiveness. The pain of separation is acknowledged, but so is the depth of their love. Choices are made—not out of obligation, but from a place of agency and hope. The community's embrace is both grounding and liberating, reminding them that home is not a place, but the people and histories we choose to carry forward.

The Museum's Opening

The museum opens to great fanfare, a testament to the collaboration, resilience, and vision of everyone involved. Xiomara and Calehan, though still navigating the complexities of their relationship, are celebrated for their contributions. The space is alive with stories, artifacts, and the presence of ancestors. The event is both a culmination and a turning point, as new opportunities beckon and old wounds begin to heal. The chapter is suffused with joy, pride, and the bittersweet recognition that every ending is also a beginning.

Choices and Departures

With the museum complete, Xiomara and Calehan face the reality of their diverging paths. Calehan prepares to leave for Spain, while Xiomara considers her own future—torn between staying in Bunchberry, returning home, or forging a new path abroad. Their parting is painful but necessary, each recognizing that love sometimes means letting go. The community's support is unwavering, offering solace and encouragement. The chapter is a meditation on choice, sacrifice, and the courage required to pursue one's dreams, even when it means leaving behind what is most cherished.

Reunion in Spain

Time passes, and both Xiomara and Calehan grow in their respective journeys. When Xiomara arrives in Spain, their reunion is electric—a testament to the enduring power of love, forgiveness, and hope. The past is honored, but the future is embraced with open arms. Together, they build a new life, blending their histories, cultures, and dreams. The story ends with a sense of fulfillment and possibility, as Xiomara and Calehan, having weathered loss and distance, choose each other again—this time, with eyes wide open and hearts unguarded.

Characters

Xiomara Chavez

Xiomara is a Mexican Apache archaeologist whose expertise and passion for cultural preservation are matched only by the depth of her grief for her late fiancé, Javier. Her journey is one of healing—learning to trust, love, and belong again after profound loss. Xiomara is fiercely intelligent, independent, and deeply connected to her heritage. Her relationships—with her dog Anubis, her colleagues, and the Bunchberry community—reveal her capacity for empathy and leadership. Psychologically, she is marked by survivor's guilt, a fear of vulnerability, and a longing for home. Over the course of the story, she transforms from an outsider haunted by the past to a vital member of the community, capable of embracing new love and forging her own path.

Calehan Yellowbird

Calehan is the architect and builder of the Bunchberry museum, a man rooted in family, tradition, and duty. His quiet strength and gentle humor mask a deep well of longing—for adventure, recognition, and connection. Torn between his responsibilities to his family and his dreams of a career abroad, Calehan embodies the tension between tradition and change. His relationship with Xiomara is transformative, challenging him to confront his fears and desires. Psychologically, he grapples with guilt, self-doubt, and the pressure to be everything to everyone. Through love, loss, and reconciliation, Calehan learns to honor both his roots and his aspirations, ultimately choosing vulnerability and partnership over isolation.

Rosebud

Rosebud is Xiomara's first friend in Bunchberry—a whirlwind of energy, creativity, and warmth. As a community leader and eventual museum director, Rosebud bridges the gap between tradition and innovation. She is fiercely loyal, quick-witted, and unafraid to speak her mind. Her relationship with her wife Kate and her extended family exemplifies the story's themes of chosen family and communal support. Psychologically, Rosebud is driven by a desire to uplift her community, sometimes at the expense of her own needs. Her friendship with Xiomara is a source of mutual growth, encouragement, and healing.

Chief Thomas (Kenny)

Chief Thomas is both a political leader and a rival for Xiomara's affections. His charm and vision are tempered by a need for control and recognition. As a distant cousin to Xiomara, his role is complicated—he is both ally and obstacle, embodying the challenges of leadership in a changing world. Psychologically, he is driven by legacy, a desire to prove himself, and unresolved grief. His interactions with Xiomara and Calehan reveal the complexities of power, kinship, and vulnerability.

David

David is Xiomara's trusted colleague and confidant, providing both comic relief and emotional support. As a fellow Indigenous archaeologist, he shares Xiomara's commitment to respectful preservation and community engagement. Psychologically, David is adaptable, resilient, and deeply empathetic. His presence anchors Xiomara, offering perspective and encouragement as she navigates personal and professional challenges.

Muskwa Yellowbird

Muskwa is Calehan's father and a respected elder in the community. His guidance, stories, and quiet strength provide a moral compass for both Calehan and Xiomara. Psychologically, Muskwa is marked by loss, resilience, and a deep sense of responsibility. His role as a bridge between generations is central to the story's exploration of legacy, healing, and the power of tradition.

Joy Yellowbird

Joy is Calehan's younger sister, a champion relay rider with a sharp tongue and a big heart. Her skepticism and candor challenge Xiomara to prove herself, but her loyalty is unwavering once trust is earned. Psychologically, Joy is driven by a desire for autonomy, a fear of abandonment, and a fierce love for her family. Her journey mirrors the story's themes of growth, forgiveness, and the complexities of sibling bonds.

Juniper Yellowbird

Juniper, Calehan's twin, is a pillar of the Yellowbird family. Her relationship with her husband Clover and their child Frankie exemplifies the story's celebration of family, resilience, and joy. Psychologically, Juniper is a caretaker, balancing her own needs with those of her loved ones. Her wisdom and humor provide stability and perspective, especially during times of crisis.

Kate

Kate is Rosebud's wife and a grounding presence in the community. Her skills as a cook, gardener, and partner make her home a haven for Xiomara and others. Psychologically, Kate is pragmatic, nurturing, and quietly ambitious. Her relationship with Rosebud models healthy partnership and mutual support.

Anubis

Anubis, Xiomara's dog, is more than a pet—he is a living link to her past, a source of comfort, and a symbol of resilience. His presence throughout the story mirrors Xiomara's journey from isolation to belonging, offering unconditional love and grounding her in moments of uncertainty.

Plot Devices

Interwoven Past and Present

The narrative structure weaves together Xiomara's present experiences in Bunchberry with memories of her life in Mexico and her relationship with Javier. Dreams, ceremonies, and artifacts serve as portals between worlds, allowing the past to inform and shape the present. This device deepens the emotional resonance of the story, highlighting the cyclical nature of grief, healing, and love.

Symbolic Artifacts and Rituals

Artifacts unearthed during the excavation—pottery, tools, jewelry—are imbued with personal and collective significance. Rituals, offerings, and ceremonies honor the ancestors and ground the characters in tradition. These devices reinforce the story's themes of legacy, continuity, and the sacredness of everyday life.

Dual Protagonist Perspective

The story alternates between Xiomara and Calehan's perspectives, allowing readers to witness their internal struggles, desires, and transformations. This duality creates dramatic irony, as each character's fears and hopes are revealed to the reader before they are shared with each other. The device heightens emotional tension and deepens empathy.

Community as Character

Bunchberry is more than a setting—it is a living, breathing character whose traditions, conflicts, and joys shape the protagonists' journeys. The community's rituals, celebrations, and challenges provide both support and obstacles, reflecting the complexities of belonging and the interplay between personal and collective identity.

Foreshadowing and Circularity

Early references to loss, migration, and the cyclical nature of seasons foreshadow the characters' journeys of departure and return. The story's structure mirrors the rhythms of nature and tradition, reinforcing the idea that healing and love are ongoing processes, not linear achievements.

Analysis

Lizards Hold the Sun is a luminous exploration of grief, belonging, and the transformative power of love—both romantic and communal. Dani Trujillo crafts a narrative that honors Indigenous traditions while embracing the messiness of modern life, weaving together themes of loss, resilience, and renewal. The story's heart lies in its celebration of community—the ways in which family, ritual, and shared history can heal even the deepest wounds. Through Xiomara and Calehan's journeys, the novel interrogates the tension between honoring the past and embracing the future, between duty and desire, between holding on and letting go. The excavation of ancient artifacts becomes a metaphor for the excavation of self, as both protagonists unearth buried pain and possibility. Ultimately, the novel asserts that healing is not about forgetting or replacing what was lost, but about integrating it into a larger tapestry of meaning. Love, in all its forms, is depicted as both fragile and enduring—a force that can bridge worlds, mend hearts, and, like the lizards of the title, hold the sun even in the darkest times. The lesson is clear: to find home, we must be willing to dig deep, to risk vulnerability, and to trust that, even after the longest winter, the sun will return.

Last updated: January 16, 2026